PhD Opportunity: Visual attention

What drives us to make the decisions we make on a day to day basis? Our actions are largely driven by what we pay attention to, however the processes in our brains that underpin selective attention and decision making are still poorly understood.

A PhD opportunity is available to study visual attention and decision making in Drosophila. The project will involve recording brain activity in flies making choices between competing visual stimuli as they navigate a virtual environment. Optogenetics (stimulating neurons with light) will be used to manipulate neurons in the fly brain, and look at the behavioural effects. A variety of techniques, including electrophysiology, behaviour and immunostaining will be used to understand how neural circuits drive attention and decision making.

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Read about our work in visual attention -

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For more information or to make an inquiry, use our contact uspage to contact group leader A/Prof. Bruno van Swinderen.